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X-Wing and Death Star battle again on Kickstarter

Though the U.S. government decided not to fund research into a Death Star, Star Wars fans longing to witness the power of a fully armed and operational battle station have taken to Kickstarter to get it done.

The Rebel Alliance isn't taking that threat lightly, though, and has countered by using the crowdfunding site in an attempt to build an X-Wing fighter.

Together, the two initiatives have already raised nearly $350,000. That's a good bit shy of the $42 million they're seeking, though.

The Death Star Kickstarter, which is hoping to raise £20 million, has another 48 days to go. Backers say they intend to use the funds to create detailed plans and buy enough chicken wire to protect the reactor exhaust ports (one of the chief sticking points with President Obama’s decision to reject the petition signed by over 25,000 people).

Should the project achieve its initial goal, backers have already announced a stretch goal, saying if they receive $850,000,000,000,000,000 (that’s $850 quadrillion), they will construct the device.

The new Death Star will be based on open source software, as opposed to the one created by George Lucas.

"The first Death Stars was closed source and the theft of the plans resulting in the loss of many Bothan lives," the site notes.

"If George Lucas produced Star Wars IV, A New Hope, for $11 million we figure we can finance a prototype of an X-Wing and train a pilot," says the page. Among the stretch goals is the construction of a Y-Wing Bomber if funds top $23 million. And if the campaign hits $4,485,672,683 (which just so happens to be the box office total for the films and The Clone Wars), we'll get a whole X-Wing Squadron.

Backers who give $10,000 (and, so far, there are nine people who have done so) are being promised full Jedi training with Yoda in the Dagobah swamps.